An audio installation that gives tropical plants the tools to play synthesizers, allowing people to experience biorhythms as live music.
An audio installation that gives tropical plants the tools to play synthesizers, allowing people to experience biorhythms as live music.
Frank Schaeffer grew up in a Swiss Evangelical commune, the son of a fundamentalist theologian. He and his father helped found the Religious Right and were part of its power structure for many years, Then Schaeffer recanted. Today he's a liberal democrat who describes himself as "an atheist who believes in God." He outlines his disenchantment with Evangelical politics.
Since her creation in 1941, Wonder Woman has become one of the most popular superheroes of all time, as well as an beloved icon of second-wave feminism. It also turns out she has a fascinating origin story that intersects with the Women's movement of the early 20th century, the lie detector, and even involves the founders of Planned Parenthood. Historian Jill Lepore tells Steve Paulson about these connections, and talks about Wonder Woman's eccentric creator.
Jason Padgett was a hard-partying guy until a traumatic brain injury turned him into a math genius. Now, he sees complex geometric designs everywhere he looks.
Jason Hartley talks about his book, "The Advanced Genius Theory: Are They Out of Their Minds or Ahead of Their Time?"
Tom Farley, older brother of comedian Chris Farley, is the co-author (with Tanner Colby) of "The Chris Farley Show: A Biography in Three Acts." He tells Jim Fleming that the young Chris was always funny, but was funnier when he was sober.
As far as questions of neurology, perhaps no creature is more mysterious and amazing than the octopus. In this EXTENDED interview, science writer Sy Montgomery talks about what she discovered when she met Athena, an octopus at the New England Aquarium.
What insights could the past offer into the current Ebola crisis in West Africa? Gregg Mitman believes a long history of Western biomedical research in the region is fueling suspicion of health professionals. He spoke with TTBOOK about a Harvard medical expedition in Liberia dating back to the early 20th century. Click here to read highlights from the interview and hear the audio of the conversation. You can also listen to our conversation with him.